Improvement in horse hay-forks



N. PALWIER.

Horse Hay-Forks.

INO. 134,482. Patented Dec. 31, 1872.

ww; d www@ UNITED STATES PATENT F NELSON PALMER, OF ATHENS, ASSIGNOR TO DAVIS WHEEL AND PALMER FORK COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN HORSE HAY-FORKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 134,182, dated December 31, 1872.

To all whom it may concern: Y

Be it known that I, NELSON PALMER, of Athens, Greene county, and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Horse Hay-Forks, of which the. following is a specification In order to understand the nature and obl ject of thisimprovement, I will proceed to describe it, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification. p

Figure I is a side elevation. Fig. II is a plan view, both gures showing the fork in the same position. p

Like letters refer to corresponding parts in both figures. t

This invention consists of a system of bracing to support the tines of the fork and hold them in a proper position for use.

The fork to which this system of bracing is here applied consists of four tines, a a a af, curved and equidistant from each other, from their points back to the base of the tines at b b b b. From these points they become braces d d d d', to aid in supporting the tines a a. These braces d d', curvin g toward the points of the tines a a', converge to a point at the top ot' the handle H, to which they are bolted. The handle H, curving backward and downward in the arc of a circle, terminates with a loop, N, for convenience in handling the fork. To the handle H near its lower extremity are bolted two braces, S S, extending from the handle H to the base of the tines a a. These braces S S are or may be bent short at their place of contact with the bases b b of the tines v a a, and extend backward, being double about one-third of their length. There they form a bar or cross-brace, c c, connecting braces S S bar c c, and extending forward become supports of and "are bolted to the tines a a at their bases b b. By this bracing the tines are all supported against any strain upon them, either endwise or lateral. The cross-bar c c is stronger by making it short, throwing it back of the tines and supporting the ends against the braces S S, and the last-named braces S S are supported by resting against 4the ends of the cross-bar c c so near their centers; and as a crowning excellence, the capacity of the fork is increased by placing the cross-bar c c so far back of the tines a a', thus allowing the tines to be pressed further into the hay or other commodity to be handled outside. At the base of the tines a a is hinged a bail, L, by bolts, which also hold the braces S S and the crossbar c c firmly to the inside of the tines a a at that point. The bail L, which curves in conformity with the braces d d', extends above the top of the handle H and culminates in the loop O, to which the power is applied in operating the fork. To hold the bail L in position when in use, a catch, K, is hinged on a bolt passing through the parallel sides of the bail L below the loop O, and, extending backward and downward along the handle H, falls into a notch, in the upper edge of the handle H, and locks the bail and fork for hoisting.

To unlock the fork I use a cam-lever to which a trip-role is attached.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The braces S S, the cross-bar o c, and braces c c', in combination with the handle H and tines a a', substantially as specied.

2. The combination of tines a a', the curved Abraces d d', the handle H, braces S S, crossbar o c, braces c c', bail L, catch K, and lever R, constructed and operating substantially as set forth.

NELSON PALMER. Witnesses:

GARDNER S. CUTTING, WM. S. RIDABocK, J r. 

